What’s a platform?

With traditional software, you buy one asset to solve one problem. Historically, software has attempted to offer one size fits all solutions to specific problem. Typically, over time, this results in large complicated monoliths with only a fraction of functionality actually employed by any individual user. 
 
Due to the diverse applications of virtual microscopy and digital pathology, we conceived our own toolbox different from the beginning. Instead of a single application, we set off from the start to build a platform instead. 
 
A platform starts with a central server component that offers basic, shared, and necessary common functionality. In the case of the Pathomation software platform, this is PMA.core. PMA.core handles virtual slides, user management, data capture, and audit trailing. All applications need these capabilities. 
 
On top of PMA.core comes a range of connectable components. These can take the form of an application (desktop, web, mobile), but can also be connecting pieces to other external software. We do not offer Image Analysis, but we give you the right connectors to pass your data on to your favorite AI environment. We do not have our own LIMS, but we offer technical building blocks (APIs) for independent vendors to embed slide handling capabilities on their end on top of our central PMA.core. 

The goal of a platform is to be open and allow customers to build their own ecosystems. Pathomation allows customers to incrementally build their own virtual microscopy and digital pathology ecosystems.

  Software Platform
Design Proprietaty Open
Competitive edge Features Ecosystem
Importance to overall system Helpful, solves one problem Essential, solves multiple problems
Economic incentives focused on One type of user Multiple stakeholders